CNMI expects toughest test in AFC U19 event

The AFC U19 Championship Bahrain 2016 Qualifiers in Bangkok, Thailand, is the toughest among the three tournaments awaiting the CNMI next month.

CNMI U19 National Team assistant coach Jersh Angeles (with visor) huddles with the players during a break in their rain-soaked training session yesterday at the Oleai Sports Complex Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

“I believe some of the players suiting up for the opposing teams are either members of their national squads or pools that are bound for the World Cup qualifier so it’s going to be a tough ride for us. We’re like playing a death match every day,” CNMI U19 National Team assistant coach Jersh Angeles said.
Angeles and the 19 players carrying the Commonwealth’s colors to the Sept. 28-Oct. 6 tournament will be facing the host country, South Korea, Singapore, and Chinese-Taipei in Group H round-robin play.

“Our players know what they are up to, so we’re doing everything we can to prepare for this high level competition. We’re working hard on their stamina as we’re expecting to go up against quick players. We’re also working on the team’s tactics, focusing more on defense. We will attack if we have a chance, but we will really concentrate on defense as we try to limit the scores of our opponents,” Angeles said.

The Northern Mariana Island Football Association-supported squad has yet to be named, but Angeles said they will have five players coming from the mainland (attending college) and six from the CNMI U16 National Team that will play in a separate competition in Laos.

“Hopefully these off-island players can join us in our training camp in Chonburi,” said Angeles, who will assist NMIFA technical director and CNMI coach Kiyoshi Sekiguchi.

Sekiguchi is currently in Malaysia, attending the Inaugural AFC National Coaches Conference 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, leaving Angeles the task to facilitate the team’s rain-soaked training session yesterday afternoon at the Oleai Sports Complex Field. Sekiguchi will join the team’s training camp in Chonburi from Aug. 22 to 25.

At the camp, Sekiguchi’s players will have a scrimmage against Chonburi Football Club. Chonburi FC is a professional team and a champion in the Thai Premier League in 2007. The club is dominated by local players and reinforced by a few Brazilian, Korean, and Japanese pros.

“The camp will definitely help our boys warm-up for the competition in Bangkok and get them acclimated early in Thailand weather,” said Angeles.

The camp was originally set in Japan, but was moved to Chonburi due to its proximity with the host city.

The top finisher in Bangkok and group winners in nine other pools along with the five second-best placed squads will advance to the finals in Bahrain. If the host country wins its pool (Group H), the sixth-best placed team will take the last spot in the 16-squad finale.